Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-10-08
long sleep, awakened ME and brought me

SAAs WIN, ACpkcU. IL
Joshua is robbed, SO much the better. I
am glad Of it."
John Beer shook his head. He was
only half satisfied.
ITO be sure" he said, stI've seen gyp-
sizes about. You know best. Well, and
how about the kegs, P~leasances"
"I'win give you the kegs at once if you
will do me another favor. Nay, it is not
to tell me more about Joshua; I know
quite enough. 1t is only to carry some
brandy to Parson Burdens"
"Why, I'll do that,' he said, briskly,
"and more, for your sake"
He took the w~heelbarrow and very
soon was trundling my present, which I
had resolved to say was Dams, to the
good old rector.
On the way he mentioned casually that
q press gang was in the neighborhood.
"They don't know it, the boys at Lyme,
else they'd keep at home for a day or two.
ThereW be good few sailors more aboard
his majesty's ships when that gang has
done its business"
thought nothing at the time.
But Inter on I started, remembering
that Joshua had promised to deliver
twenty kegs that morning, and that at
daybreak he would be at the hiding place.
Another thought struck me.
had no doubt, knowing the nature Of
the business, and the haste made after a
run to get the cargo safely slowed away
and disposed of, that Joshua intended to
take it all in two loads, probably one that
morning and one the next. This knowl-
edge put q fatal power into my hands. I
turned the thought over in my mind till
1t became a resolution, clear and deter
mined. Since Joshua had sent Dan and
all of them away to sea, he should 60 too.
OF course they could not take q miller
from his mill-no. But suppose Joshua
was caught, in boatman's rig, handling
his kegs in Rousdon bay!
When John Beer had taken the rector
his brandy, and carried Off his own to
some secure place which he knew of,
probably to a friend in the town, u burn
ing desire came over ME to see Joshua
Mech face to face and to triumph over
his misfortunes. Tired as I was with nv
long nights work, l FASTENED to put OH
my hat and set off once more for my
three mile walk across the fields.
l cannot pretend to anything but a
fcverish joy that SO far my weary head
suffered. l knew how mean and parsi-
monious he was, how he rinched and
saved, denying himself luxuries and liv-
ing hardly, in order to feel richer every
day. was quite certain that his chief
pleasure was to open his hiding place
secretly and count his treasures. Irejoiced
to think how, in these moments, there
was mixed upa feeling that he was saving
up for me, and how that memory would
be an additional stab for him. For me?
Wa it possible, even without his super
human wickcdness, for mo to look upon
another man after my glorious Will?
So he had already found out his loss.
That was strange. Did he, then, look in
the morning to see if it was safcs But
perhaps the open window and the hanging
shutter awakened his suspicious. Ishould
soon know. AS l drew ncar the mill, and
looked down upon it from the top Of the
steep lane leading from the high road, l
could not help feeling the contrast be-
tween the beauty of the place and the an
cry passions of its master and the girl
who was going to visit him. But / had
to hide my indignation. l composed my
features rs we'll as l could, and crossed
his orchard.
Joshua vas sitting on the bench outside
the mill. The wheel was slowly going
round and round, with its monotonous
sound, and the mill was at work. But
its master sat motionless, his head on his
hands. He was trying to think who could
have robbed him.
"JoshuaV' l cried; "Joshua! What is
the matter? Arc you asleept'
II wish l was" he replied, hoarscly.
~ think l shall never be able to sleep
again. What do you want, Plcasanccy:'
II came to tell you, Joshua, that l saw
fhn Annt vnr, o1pv- kIo 1,on;,.,, ~.
ing. 1t must be Nelson's, Dan and the
rest must DC aboard one Of the ships"
SAY, ay; no doubt. Well, they-they-
they will get through it, l darcsay."
ooh, Joshua, what n villain must he be
who informed against them. What could
we do to that villain to punish him prop
erly? Tell me, joshua"
"Do-do? What could we do? Put
him in the duckpond, I suppose" he re-
piled YEARLY.
"That would not be half enough, Joshua.
I should like to take away all his money"
hi started-''aEd to tell all the world,
and send him away forever with the
curses of the people,"
cay" he said, "ncver mind the in
former, Pleasance; listen to me-. i've
been robbed!"
AOo1 JAN A'o
';I've been robbed of every farthine I
had. All in eold-all tied up in bags-all
the money I've been saving for years"
GAN the money you saved to marry me
With"
sit is all gone"
''Then you can't marry me, which will
be removing a temptation, Joshua. But
who could have done it?'
Il don't know; I can't think. Go
away; P%leasance, and let me think by my
self"
SIS there any one who is at enmity with
you, joshua"
He shook his head.
"Any one whom you have wronged,
Joshua?'
A flush crossed his face. GO, child,
you can do nothing. Leave me alone"
~"Joshua," I said, retreating, s'you are
q Methody. Remember what you said to
me, Patience, and kiss the rod"
found next morning, on investigating
the cache, that twenty kegs of salt water
had been taken out, no doubt at daybreak.
I rode to Lyme, sought out John Beer,
and revealed my new plot. Hc at once
fen in with it. The press gang was in
hiding somewhere at Up Lyme. -Four Of
them would be enough to effect the cap
ture. He would tell them where to go,
and what they were to cxpect-a deter
mined man, who would fight for his lib
erty, but a good sailor.
They were to lie concealed among the
rocks, just under the hiding place of the
cargo. They were to wait until they
heard their victim climbing down the zig
gag road, and then they were to effect the
seizure. Above all, they were to take
care not to let him be seen in Lyme, Up
Lime, Bridport, or any Of the places
round, where he might be known.
Now this seemed to me a really spendid